This most recent Alaya weekend reminded me of an excerpt from one of the beloved books I keep by my bed.

Power made me a coat. For a long time I kept it in the back of my closet. I didn’t like to wear it much, but I always took good care of it. When I first started wearing it again, it smelled like mothballs. As I wore it more, it started fitting better and stopped smelling like mothballs.

I was afraid if I wore the coat too much someone would want to take it or else I would accidentally leave it in the dojo dressing room. But it has my name on the label now, and it doesn’t really fit anyone else. When people ask me where I found such a becoming garment, I tell them about the tailor, Power, who knows how to make coats that you grow into. First, you must find the courage to approach him and ask him to make your coat. Then, you must find the patience inside yourself to wear the coat until it fits.

— J. Ruth Gendler, The Book of Qualities

You can expect to see more excerpts of her work now and again. I discovered (was led to?) this little book in 1990; it has been a source of creativity, soothing, and insight since then.